Welcome to the Sedgwick Middle School website. Sedgwick has a rich history and is one of the oldest school buildings in West Hartford. Sedgwick Middle School was opened in 1931 as a combination junior high school (in the west wing) and elementary school (in the east wing). The school was named for William Thompson Sedgwick. Born in West Hartford in 1855, Sedgwick, a bacteriologist and educator, was an authority on public health who taught biology at M.I.T. from 1883 until his death in 1921. In 1956, the elementary school moved out and Sedgwick became exclusively a junior high for grades 7, 8 and 9. In 1979, the 9th grade moved to Conard High School and Sedgwick became a middle school. Grade 6 was moved to Sedgwick in 1979. A rear wing was added in 1989-1990 and grade 6 was moved to Sedgwick. The library was expanded in 2001 and another wing constructed in 2003. The original building, designed by architect Russell Barker, is recognized as one of Connecticut’s historic Art Deco buildings. Today over 900 students attend Sedgwick in grades 6, 7 and 8 organized into grade level teams of approximately 100 to 115 students each. In addition to a strong academic and Unified Arts curriculum, opportunities exist for students to participate in after school sports, interesting club activities and homework centers.

The mission of the West Hartford Middle Schools is to inspire and prepare all students to realize their potential and enhance our global community.

At Sedgwick Middle School, we have a focused vision for the success of our students. We hold a vision that our students will leave middle school with essential knowledge and 21st century skills to be competent and feel confident in high school as a precursor to successful post-secondary outcomes. It is equally important for our students have a positive elementary to middle school transition and to feel safe and connected throughout their middle school years.

Sedgwick’s vision for student success is grounded in the following set of beliefs:

All students can learn.

Quality education is a fundamental right and must be accessible to everyone.

Every individual must be treated with respect and dignity.

Education is a shared responsibility and cooperative effort between home, school and community.

Due to emergencies, such as inclement weather, electrical outages, and other unforeseen circumstances, it is sometimes necessary to make changes to the school day for the safety of our students. Please take the time before an emergency arises to develop a contingency plan in the event of a school delay, early dismissal, or cancellation and discuss it with your child. Identified below are multiple information sources that will provide you with changes to the school day; CT Weather Center Cancellations Website, WHPS Source Line, Transportation, Connect ED or Radio and Television stations/websites .

Parents are reminded that regardless of the exact timing of a storm occurring during the school day, the early dismissal schedule is as follows: high school students will get out at 11:00 a.m.; middle school students will get out at 11:45 a.m., and elementary schools students will get out at 1:00 p.m. These early dismissal times will not vary.

WHPS Source Line (860) 233-2334
To hear information about the status of West Hartford Public Schools, call (860) 233-2334. The message will be updated throughout the school day as needed to inform you of any changes to the school day and after school activities. Once a message is recorded, the public has immediate access to it.

Transportation:
If a parent has a question about an individual bus delay, the best way to obtain up-to-the-minute information regarding a school vehicle’s location is to contact First Student Inc. at (860) 953-2030, (860) 953-2031. Parents who have children attending out-of-district schools should contact Specialty Transportation at (860) 947-2020.

Connect Ed
West Hartford Public Schools utilizes the Connect-ED Rapid Notification Service, which allows school administrations to contact parents by phone within minutes.

WHPS invites students to bring their personal electronic devices to school. WHPS is committed to creating a rigorous and engaging learning environment for all students, teachers and staff. These guidelines support 21st Century teaching and learning, promote response use and communicate intended uses.